Starting Scenes That Other People Would Want To Be In

[jillybee72]

Sooooo....

This week three times I've seen people initiate scenes with the kind of scenarios that no one would ever want to be in with them. I can't remember exactly what it was today, something like, "Yeah, I think your sister should get an abortion and I'm not sorry," or something. I just stopped the scene and said, no one wants to see that scene and no one wants to be in that scene with you, please start again.

Which is to say, yes of COURSE the other improvisor would play that scene with him, and yes of COURSE the other improvisor would do his best to find the high road, but....why would he propose that? Did he really think, ah ha! Here is something fun for my friend to play!!

What obligation do we have as improvisors to come in with things that appeal not just to our dark dark souls, but are a lovely gift for our friend as well? How do you explain this to your friends?

[Spots]

What obligation do we have as improvisors to come in with things that appeal not just to our dark dark souls, but are a lovely gift for our friend as well? How do you explain this to your friends?

I feel no moral obligation to keep scene initiations light & fun, but I would protest if this type of initiation came up time & time again because you run out of games you can play.

"Your sister can't have the abortion."

"Fine. Then I won't be sharing my corndog after all."

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"Your sister can't have the abortion."

"Awwww, but she really wanted to go to Maui for spring break. I'm not gonna be the one to tell her!"

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"Your sister can't have the abortion."

"Is that what that was? I thought she looked a bit gassy."

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"Your sister can't have the abortion."

"Cool. Hey want a ginger ale? I'm going to the store."

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Eventually the well runs dry. Perhaps a bigger problem is scene initiations which project a not-so-fun viewpoint onto your partner.

"Well I know you get angry & make that Clint Eastwood face everytime I tell you to stop pooping on the lawn -- look you're doing it again!!! But I need you to admit that you do it. And tell mom you're a transgender with manic depression so she'll take us to the annual picnic!!"


I refer to these types of moves as narrow strokes. Not regarding specfics-- but the choices you leave your partner in how to react. The broader and more inspiring your strokes, I think the better.

[Spots]

For instance I had a scene partner who always initiated with:

"Well gentlemen, we need to decide right now if we are going to disarm this nuclear submarine with our hands OR with this screw driver."

That's fine. I'll make a fun choice. But then the NEXT scene...

"Well gentlemen, we need to decide right now if we are going to load this hotdog with ketchup OR mustard."

That's fine. I'll make a fun choice. But then the NEXT scene...

"Well teachers, as the princlipal I'd like to suggest that all you teachers stop disciplining your students with paddles. I know you all crave violence but allow me to recommend this water hose."


Ugh. Every scene was a meeting AND I was told how I should react. I hate that.

[Rev. Jordan T. Maxwell]

i think you can have fun with those kinds of set ups in shows with players you trust/who trust you...because that's the only way fucking someone over onstage IS fun, is if you trust each other enough to playfully throw each other under the bus. or if you're legitimately wanting to explore some darker themes, then you have to trust each other enough that the audience is engaged and doesn't mind following you into something more dramatic (we worked on this a lot in Austin Secrets).

in a class set up, or newer improvisors who are just finding their voice as individuals and that trust as a group, such a set up just reeks of "look how clever i am! Louis CK does jokes about abortion thus all mentions of abortion are funny! WHEE!" you gotta EARN the darkness. :p

[jillybee72]

Of the Austin Secrets scenes I saw, it seemed like the best ones came from a realistic start that turned a corner into something darker as opposed to the ones that started with a big clunk of ugly.

[Alex B]

Of the Austin Secrets scenes I saw, it seemed like the best ones came from a realistic start that turned a corner into something darker as opposed to the ones that started with a big clunk of ugly.

Seems right generally. There's something great about a scene that organically takes a turn for the dark and the improvisers dive into it together. That can possibly be very cool and dramatic and funny.

But I also agree that that's pretty different, I think, than what you Jill were originally talking about -- scene starts that are just based on un-funny, un-clever, needless hate and bile where, typically, the other player is left wondering how the hell to respond.

So, I say that these kinds of super-negative scene starts, yup, they technically could work if played with tons of finesse. (Yet, the improvisers that start them are typically the ones that of course won't play them with finesse.)

But why go there from the get go? My take is that improvisers do have a general obligation to avoid these kinds of super-negative initiations and that this simply follows from the fundamental maxims "make your partner look good" and "make your troupe look good".

[jillybee72]

Well said, Alex, well said.

[Aden]

I always put the emphasis for myself and my students on making the fun choice.

In other words when I think about what we are doing in improv and really what improv allows us to do, I think of having wonderful group discovered/created adventures. I find it's much more inspiring to come from that frame of mind then from the frame of mind of being obligated to avoid starting from a dark place. I think however that my perspective on it is probably in line with what is already being said here I just like to frame it as "what do I want to strive for in my improv?" as opposed to "what do I want to avoid?".

[Spots]

What Aden said. And I'll add that my inclination is that these improvisers are at the level where they just need to get it out of their systems.


He either will or will not reward himself for the scene that follows, and that will imprint some image in his head where appropriate.

[jillybee72]

Hooray! Yes. These thoughts.

[Chuy!]

I think I'm selfish. I love heightening the stakes of a scene. Even if it means going to dark places. I always try to go to the point that the audience will let me. Once they groan, I am happy.

[Rev. Jordan T. Maxwell]

Of the Austin Secrets scenes I saw, it seemed like the best ones came from a realistic start that turned a corner into something darker as opposed to the ones that started with a big clunk of ugly.

i more meant that since some of the secrets we were starting with dealt with darker subject matter, the "promise" was already there of dealing with it in the scene. but there is a definite difference between a group of improvisors reading "i think my friend's sister should get an abortion and i'm not sorry" together and knowing that it's a sincere and legitimate confession on the part of somebody real and building a scene out of that together, versus "hey everybody! ABORTION! time for umpteen wire hanger jokes! look at my wacky abortion dance!"

the latter, of course, should only be done in rehearsal.

[kaci_beeler]

This all reminds me of how much I love Johnstone's exercises on this subject.
The "Yes, Let's" Adventure where you leave the stage as soon as you're uninspired to continue, and the "what comes next?" exercise you can do in pairs.

At first I was dubious of these exercises because I was afraid people would think too much in the moment about, "Do I really want to do this?" (basically rendering the exercise less than practical in real scenarios) BUT if everyone is already excited and warmed up and in a good improv headspace - you learn so much about your own ability to inspire your scene partners AND what inspires or delights you.

Curtis and I used the "what comes next?" exercise (not quite the same as the shortform game that uses the same question) early on in our The Amazon & The Milksop rehearsal process and I really loved where it got us. We even did a shorthand version of it onstage to start our shows.

[AmyA]

You can't always know what scenes other people would want to be in, because we're all different, but the intention to create scenes that others would want to be in is really important to me.

I spend a lot of my life being responsible for things (job, family, stupidmeatbagerrandsaspeterrogerslikestosay). I fell in love with improv because at it's core, it's a chance to PLAY. When I started spending more time doing improv, I promised myself that I would walk away if it started feeling like one more responsibility or chore.

I don't mind working through challenges or working hard to make things go well, but if the people I was performing with didn't come from a place of wanting to create scenes that other people wanted to be in, I would be outta there FAST.